Switch operating and locking device.



No. 789,216. PATENTED MAY'Q, 1905.

- J. HART.

SWITCH OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED 1330.26, 1903.

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-NITED STATES Patented May 9, 1905.

PATENT O ICE.

JAMES HART, OF J OHNSTOWN PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE LORAIN STEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH OPERATING AND LOCKING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,216, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed December 26, 1903. Serial No. 186,629.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES HART, of Johnstown, in the county of Oambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Switch Operating and Locking Devices, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in switch locking and operating devices, and is designed to provide simple and eflicient means whereby a switch tongue or point may be held at either of its two running positions against accidental displacement; also, to provide means whereby the switch may be readily converted into a spring-switch with right or left hand throw, as may be desired.

With this object in view my invention consists in the combination, with a movable switch tongue or point, of one or more springs and toggle or link connections between the tongue or point and the said springs, the whole being so arranged that the tension of the spring or springs is made to resist movement of the tongue from its running position, but which if the tongue is forced beyond a certain point will act to assist in throwing the same; also, in certain features of adjustment whereby the said spring or springs may be made to act upon the tongue in the manner of the spring of the ordinary springswitch.

My invention also consists'in the novel construction and combination of parts, all substantially as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating the invention applied to a switch, the cover of the spring-box being removed; Fig. 2, a similar view showing a modification; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4:, a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5, a detail view, to a somewhat larger scale, illustrating another form of adjustment.

The letter A designates the body portion of the switch, and B the movable tongue or 5 point, pivoted at b. Secured to the tongue B intermediate of its ends is a laterally-projecting arm O.

E is a spring-box having a bowed spring E secured to one of its side walls and carrying a central lug or ear 0.

F F are two links or toggles whose inner ends are pivotally connected to the end portion of the arm O. The outer end of one of said links is pivotally connected to the lug or ear 0 of the spring E, and the outer end of the other link is (in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 4) pivoted to a fixed lug a on the opposite wall of said box.

It will be readily seen that any movement 5 of the tongue B from the position to which it is set will tend to compress the spring E, which will therefore resist such movement. If, however, the tongue be forced over by the usual switch-bar, as soonas the links or tog- 7 gles pass center the spring will act to assist the throw of the tongue to its other position and will then act to resist movement from that position. The resistance oifered by the spring is sufficient to prevent any accidental displacement of the tongue without preventing it from being thrown by the aid of the usual switch-bar. The tension of the spring can be adjusted by placing shims under its free end portion (5 The nuts 0, which hold the rod or arm in the tongue, may also be adjusted to fix the center line of the links or toggles so that they will pass center as the tongue passes the central point in its movement.

The construction shown in Figs. 2 and 3 differs from that shown" in Figs. 1 and 1 in that two of the springs E are employed and also in that the arm O is provided with an adjustable piece O, to which the links or tog- 9 gles F are connected to facilitate the proper adjustment of the parts.

Fig. 5 shows a construction in which the inner ends of the links or toggles are provided with an additional pivot-hole f for purpose of adjustment.

To convert the switch into a spring-switch with right or left hand throw, the toggles are so adjusted that the movements of the tongue from one position to the other is not sufficient to cause them to pass center. Fig. 5. shows this adjustment; butit may be effected in the other construction shown by adjusting the nuts 0, Fig. 1, or the piece 0, Fig. 2. When so adjusted, the spring or springs simply act to return the tongue to its original running position after a car has traveled through it.

I do not wish to limit myself to the particular constructions and arrangements herein shown and described, as the invention is susceptible of other modifications within its spirit and scope. I do not, however, herein broadly claim a spring or springs arranged to act in the manner described, as such a claim is made in my application Serial No. 186,628 of even date herewith.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a movable switch tongue or point, of one or more springs, and toggles or links connecting the tongue or point and the spring or springs.

2. The combination with a movable switchtongue having a laterally-projecting arm of a pair of links or toggles connected thereto, and one or more springs arranged to be compressed by the said links or toggles.

3. The combination of a movable switchtongue or point, a spring-box, springs secured to opposite sides of thesaid box, and links or toggles connected to the said tongue and to the springs.

4:. The combination with'a movable switchtongue, and a laterally-projecting arm secured thereto, of one or more springs, toggles connected to said arm and to the spring or springs, and means for adjusting the said toggles.

5. In a switch mechanism, the combination with a rail and its cooperating point-rail, of a toggle, connection between said toggle and said point-rail. and a spring tending to hold said point-rail in a given cooperative position with relation to said rail, the parts being so proportioned and arranged that when said point-rail is moved from said position by a passing car, the pivotal point between the members of said toggle is not carried to the line of dead-centers; substantially as described.

6. In a switch mechanism, the combination with a rail and a point-rail, of a toggle, connection between said toggle and said pointrail, a spring tending to force said point-rail into a given cooperative position with relation to said rail, and means for arresting the movement of said point-rail from said position before the pivotal point between the members of saidtoggle reaches the line of deadcenters; substantially as described.

7. In a switch mechanism, the combination with a rail, a second rail, and a point-rail ad apted to be thrown into position to cooperate with either of said first-mentioned rails, of a power mechanism for throwing said point-rail, means whereby said power mechanism can be so connected to said point-rail that said power mechanismcan serve to throw said point-rail from a position cooperating with one of said other rails to a position cooperating with the other thereof, and means whereby said power mechanism can be so connected to said point-rail that when said point-rail is given its greatest movement from one of its said positions said power mechanism will serve to automatically return said point-rail to the said position from which it has been moved; substantially as described.

8. In a switch mechanism, the combination with a rail, a second rail, and a point-rail adapted to cooperate with either of said other rails, of a toggle, connection between said toggle and said point-rail, a spring exerting its force against said toggle, and means whereby the elements of said toggle can be so connected that, when connected in one manner, movement of said point-rail from its position cooperating with one of said other rails serves to carry the pivotal point between the elements of said toggle beyond the line of deadcenters, and. when connected in another manner, said toggle is prevented from moving sufficiently to carry the pivotal point between the toggle members, beyond said line of deadcenters; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES HART.

\Vitnesses:

LoRETTo OCoNN ELL, H. W. SMITH. 

